


Tethers.

by Azrael_Doll



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Illness, M/M, Prompt Fill, Teenager AU, hospital au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-15
Updated: 2015-08-15
Packaged: 2018-04-14 22:19:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4582215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azrael_Doll/pseuds/Azrael_Doll
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern hospital AU where a number of the Avengers are invited to join a medical program sponsored by Howard Stark. Which is where Steve and Bucky meet for the first time and become fast friends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tethers.

**Author's Note:**

> I got the idea for this from a post by 'pilgrimkitty' on Tumblr. I do have an idea for more on it, but I'm not sure if I'll ever write it. But anyways enjoy! 
> 
> P.S. I apologies in advance if there are any issues with the medical information and if you let me know I will rectify them!

Steve was unsure about the new program he'd been offered a place on. It was a new initiative for ill children and teenagers, it that was being funded by Howard Stark and his company. The children involved would be invited to live in a state of the art medical care facility and be looked after 24/7 with the best care available. There'd been rumours flying around about his young son that he was too sickly to make friends and that this was the reason that Howard had funded this charity. Steve's mother had jumped at the opportunity when they had received the offer. It meant good healthcare and a comfortable living situation, as well as an education. It was also a chance for him to make friends or so she kept telling him. The program was picking children from all walks of life and backgrounds.

 

As part of the program he’d been told the names of those involved as well as what ailed them. The reason stated so that their illnesses were dealt with out in the open in a healthier way. Steve wasn’t sure he bought it but he did like knowing a bit about the people he was expected to get along with. He patted the pockets of his slightly too large coat making sure he had his inhaler and his insulin. His gloves had holes in them as did his jeans, his old sneakers were well worn and he had a too big hat on his head. All in all he looked miss-matched but his mother had worked hard for everything he was wearing. He set his mouth resolutely in a firm expression, determined to do this for her if no one else; to try.

 

He slowly walked into the state of the art recreation centre, his mother had done all the registrations and had had to leave him and rush off to work, profusely apologising that she couldn’t walk him all the way in. He’d stammered quietly that he’d be fine, he was sixteen after all. No longer a child. He hadn’t been for a while, not with all the hospital trips. The recreation area was nice, it had comfy looking couches and a large TV hooked up to an Xbox 360 and a Playstation 4; either side of the TV had a set of tall bookcases filled with games, films and books. On one wall opposite the TV there were a couple of areas that a hospital bed could be hooked up to for those who couldn’t walk or at least walk much on their own or needed IV therapy

 

At first he thought that he was alone in the room but a reedy voice called out to him from one of the couches, “Hello?” It wavered slightly and Steve heard a slight hiss of pain. He hurried over to find a boy who looked slightly younger than him, he had dark brown hair and eyes and smart well-kept clothes that seemed to exude richness; it was Tony Stark. The boy this was all for. “Sorry about that, I thought I’d wait here for everyone to show up and I must have fallen asleep.” He said ruefully. It was then that Steve noticed the odd contraption hooked up to the young boy, who wasn’t as young as he thought. He seemed slightly shrunken and fragile. But Steve supposed that a lot of people that were ill seemed that way. But Steve only saw strength in those around him.

 

“I’m Steve.” He said hesitantly holding out his hand and the boy shook it, his grip firmer than he expected.

 

“Did you want to join me? I was considering what game to attempt.” He said in an almost dry humour. Unsure exactly what to do he joined the boy, who looked frustrated. “I know that you got information about the others but not so much about me, my dad refused to allow the information out in case the media got hold of it, even though you all signed non-disclosure agreements. I was working on one of my own projects and there was an accident in the lab, I got shrapnel imbedded in my body that is moving towards my heart and am partially paralysed in one of my legs,” He gestured to the slightly clunky leg brace that wrapped around his left leg. “My dad pulled me out of school, not that I went much anyways and decided that I needed to be around other sick children to feel better about myself.” He said slightly bitterly. Before speaking up again, “I mean don’t get me wrong I’m grateful that I’m alive and for the chance this brings other people but at the same time, it feels like a pity parade.”

 

Steve’s hackles rose at the comments the boy had made, “Just because you know what it’s like to be a ‘normal’ abled bodied person doesn’t mean that we all do! And you shouldn’t look down on us like that; you were doing to us what you don’t want people to do to you.” Tony seemed to stare at him in shock, not entirely sure how to respond and as it he’d never been spoken to in that way before now and Steve realised that he probably hadn’t been, he groaned to himself thinking that only five minutes in and he’d already gotten himself kicked out by saying the wrong thing. And then Tony Stark did something he didn’t expect, the boy laughed. He started to shake slightly as he did and Steve wasn’t sure what to do and just sat there staring in shock at the boy in front of him.

 

“Well this is great.” A feminine voice called out from the entrance and Steve turned to find a thin girl with brightly coloured red hair and a boy with sandy hairs and hearing aids standing next to her, they seemed to already know one another, as she signed something to the other boy, before continuing, “We walk through the door and a greeted with ridiculous laughter. It’s very reassuring.”

 

The sandy haired boy signed something at her and Steve felt as if he wanted to find a lovely place that had no one in it and hide there for the next while. But that wasn’t to be the case as Tony’s laughter had stopped and the others were joining them at the seating area.

 

“I’m sorry for what I said and how it sounded.” Tony said to him quietly as they walked over and Steve only nodded in response, his emotions having lurched to and fro very quickly in the last couple of minutes.

 

The girl seated herself confidently in one of the comfy couches; her walk looked as if she wanted to conquer the world with every step, perhaps she was. “My name is Natasha Romanova and my friend here is Clint Barton.” She gestured over to the deaf sandy haired boy who signed hello to them. Steve looked over them, Clint had lost his hearing from having mumps when he was younger and Natasha with her striking red hair had Leukemia.

 

He was just about to greet them when the door opened again and two more people walked in, the first had dark skin and a large smile on his face, he also had sunglasses on a chain around his neck. The boy behind him was quieter and had longer brown hair; he was also quite tall and had a prosthetic arm. Steve guessed that these were Sam Wilson and James Barnes, they joined the others and there was a slight lull before Tony brought up the topic of a book or something and the other avidly started talking about whatever it was. Steve couldn’t stop himself from staring at James Barnes. He felt uncomfortable in his own skin surrounded by so many people and quickly excused himself. He found himself leaving the recreation zone and wandering absently until he found the quiet room. It was spare in furniture and decoration intending to not overly stimulate the senses. It had a couple of armchairs and two beds; he sat down on one of them intending to just breathe for a moment. This was too much. Why had he agreed to this? He closed his eyes for what felt like a minute or so before a noise stirred him.

 

He blinked awake and stretched slowly trying to clear his head and looked over towards the door, stood there as if trapped in the headlights was James Barnes. “Sorry for interrupting,” he said quietly.

 

“You weren’t.” Steve said honestly, “You’re more than welcome to come in. Last I saw it was a bit loud in there.”

 

“Yeah it was.” He seemed surprised to hear himself say that.

 

“I’m Steve by the way.”

 

“James.”

 

“You don’t speak much? I can leave if you want?” Steve got up to move.

 

“No!” James called out and then quietened, “No, I don’t particularly want to be alone but everyone was talking almost over one another and it got a bit much for me.” Steve nodded in understanding, not quite sure what to say next.

 

James finally walked into the room and sat down on the other bed, “Everyone else what explaining what was up with them, what about you?”

 

“Ah, you got all afternoon?” Steve said dryly, “I have very bad asthma. I’m colour-blind, anaemic and diabetic and I also have a heart murmur and scoliosis. It’s a shame because it means that I can do what I wanted to do.”

 

“Which was?”

 

Steve smiled ruefully, “I wanted to join the army, not for some pseudo-macho reason but because I wanted to stand up for those that couldn’t. I was entranced by the idea of helping others and my country. I know it sounds silly -.”

 

“It’s not.” James interrupted and looking embarrassed at doing so, “I wish I could join too. But what with my arm and PTSD I can’t.” He looked down at the prosthetic hand that rested in his lap. “I was caught in a bombing and lost my arm.”

 

“That sucks.” Then Steve smiled slightly as a thought occurred to him, “Can you imagine if in another life we’d met in the army?”

 

“Would we be friends?” He seemed to hesitate over the words and tensing himself to flinch away.

 

“Of course we would be.” Steve said, “However you’d need a better name, you don’t really seem like a James, do you have a middle name?”

 

“Buchannan.”

 

“Huh, I wonder. Oh I know. Bucky!”

 

James snorted, “You are not calling me that.”

 

“Oh yes I am, Bucky!”

 


End file.
